Cool-girl Kate Hudson has launched her own label: HappyxNature, available exclusively at Selfridges in London. Free spirited and bohemian, it’s exactly what you’d expect to find in the Hollywood actress’s wardrobe – and it’s eco-conscious, too! So, in a nod to Hudson’s film, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” Selfridges has given us 10 ways (get it?) to get to know the brand, with a little help from Hudson herself.
Hudson style at its heart. At first glance, it’s easy to see how Hudson’s own brand of breezy, California cool has inspired HappyxNature. “When Michele [Manz, the brand’s head designer] and I first met,” she explains, “she showed up with four different mood boards and said to me: ‘I’ve been studying your life in pictures, and I realised that there are four different sides to you – there’s the glamour side; the casual, utility jeans side, the hippie/boho side; and the active, lifestyle side.’ From there, we started to form the brand’s DNA and have incorporated all of these elements into our designs.”
She’s a fan of Selfridges, too. HappyxNature is available in the Denim Studio at Selfridges London – the only place you can shop the label this side of the pond. “I couldn’t be more thrilled about having a relationship with Selfridges,” she says. “There’s something really special and unique about the experience – I personally think it’s one of the best shops in the world. I remember coming to London when I was 18 and seeing Selfridges at Christmas time. It was a shopping wonderland. Whenever I’m in London, I just have to come here to shop and eat!”
It uses feel-good fabrics. HappyxNature collaborates with eco-conscious innovators. “One of the fabrics we use is called Repreve, which is made from recycled plastic bottles – it is such an incredible technology, ” says Hudson.
What’s inside and outside counts. It’s not just the clothes that are eco-friendly.“We use as little plastic as possible,” says Hudson. “Our tags have no plastic in them at all and our shipping bags will decompose within 12 to 18 months.” So go on, wrap it up.
Sustainability = creativity. Establishing a sustainably conscious fashion brand is not without its challenges, but Hudson meets them head on with her signature positivity: “Keeping sustainability at the forefront is actually quite fun for us and just pushes us to be more creative. We’re constantly trying to push the envelope in terms of making the best product, while maintaining certain principles for the best price. We sometimes don’t use certain fabrics because we understand the impact they would have on the environment. So, it changes the way we design.”
Clothes that don’t cost the earth. Literally and figuratively, explains Hudson: “It’s one thing to be sustainable, it’s another thing to be sustainable and affordable. My goal is to make absolutely gorgeous dresses that are under £100 and don’t harm the environment.”
Being responsible is rewarding. “I’m by no means an expert in environmental matters,” Hudson admits. “But the more I delve into it, the more I’m learning and the more responsible I feel for what I produce. I think that’s really been the most exciting thing.”
Each collection tells a story. The clue is in the name: nature is always the central thread running through the label’s collections. This season’s theme “came from an idea of an old, beautiful, abandoned chateau, and how nature reclaims these spaces – vines creeping into the house or birds flying around empty rooms. The colors, mood and prints for this collection all came from this story that we created.”
Hudson’s hero piece of the season is… “I love our long, flowy, green dress with the bird print. actually stole that dress from our Fall collection. It’s still summer, but I had to have it now!”
Knitwear is next on the agenda. What’s next for HappyxNature? “My goal right now is to figure out how to make sustainable sweaters,” says Hudson. “I find wool very itchy, so we try to use softer, alternative natural fibres and recycled yarns as much as possible. I want my sweaters to be super cosy.”
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Photo Credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com